Doubling apparatus.



PATPNTP'D SEPT. 15, v1903.

a SHEETS-SHEET 1.

U. E. DENNIS. DoUBLING APPARATUS.'

APPLIQATION FILED APB.. 30. 1902. 'BB'NBWBD FEB. 20, 1903. NO MODEL.

=N0.-7a`9.,156. l PATENTBD SEBT.15, 190s.

U. E. DENNIS. DOUBLINS APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 30. 1902. BBNEWED FEB. 20. 1903. K

NO MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNES-SES NVENTOR ma Nunmsyn'ews co. How-uvm.. wAsmNuvom n. c.

'No.1 739,156. PATBNTED SEPT. 15, 1903..`

' `U. E. DENNIS.

.DOUBLING APPARATUS.

AP-PLIOATION FILED All. 80.1902. BENEWED FEB. 20.1903.

v' x ionm.. a SHEETS-sum s.

wrrnlsszs uwen-ron atented September 15, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE-.7

" URIE E. DENNIS, or NEWCASTLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

oouBLlNG APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 739,156, dated September 15, 1903.

Application filed April 30, 1.902. Renewed February 2OI 1903. Serial No. 144.327. (No model.)

l Newcastle, in the county of Lawrence and State of Pennsylvania, yhave invented a new and useful Doubling Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the preferred form of my doubling apparatus. Fig.' 2 is a top plan view of the same, partly in section; and Fig. 3 isa sectional end elevation at the shearing end of the apparatus.

Myinvention relates to apparatus for doubling sheets for forming packs,and is designed to provide an improved apparatus which will automatically bringthe two ends of the sheet into alinement, with differing lengths of sheets, and double each sheet at its center. It isalso designed-to provide an improved presser-plate with means for automatically pressing the doubled sheet, toprovide an improved shear mechanism, and generally to afford a simple, positive, and effective apparatus.

In the drawings, 2 represents a stationary table carried on a suitable frame and having an inclined portion 3 at one end. The table is provided with a side guide or stop 4 and in the inclinedportion is provided with a transverse stop 5, movable in a slot, which contains a stationary shearblade 6. The stop forms one arm of an L-shaped or bellcrank lever, pivoted at 7, the other arm of which consists of a movable shear-blade 8. The bell-crank lever is rocked by means of a segmental gear-wheel 9, intermeshing with a rack l0, which is actuated by a double-acting motive cylinder 11, having supply and exhaust pipes 12 at each end. These parts are preferably set at an angle to the vertical, as shown in Fig. 1.

After the sheet has been placed on the table and drawn against the stop 5 the end nextto the stop is seized by a swinging clamp 13. `The lower jaw 14 of the clamp is fixed on the swinging arm, pivoted at 15, while the movable jaw 16 is secured to the piston-rod of a small motive cylinder 17, mounted on` the arm and having a supply-pipe 18, which leads to the hollow trunnion of the arm, .to

which motive fluid is supplied through pipe 19. The arm is provided with a segmental gear-wheel 20, engaged by a curved rack 21, mounted on a swinging standard 22, which is pivoted to the frame at 23. The standard is provided on opposite sides of the pivot with lever-arlns24, which are pivotally connected with the plungers of a'pair of singleacting cylinders 25, having supply and eX- haust pipes 26.

The opposite end of the sheet is gripped by a sliding clamp27, having lower jaws 28 and an upper swinging jaw 29. The jaw 29 Vforms the lower arm of a bell-crank, pivoted to the sliding clamp at 30, and the upper arm 31 of the bell-crank is connected by a link 32 with a cross-head 33, sliding in guides on the table and secured to the end of a piston-rod 33 of motive cylinder 34. This motive cylinder is also mounted on the sliding frame of the clamp, and this frame is provided on its bottom face with racks 35, engaged by segmental gears 36. These gear-wheels 36 are secured to a shaft 37, mounted in Suitable stationary bearings and having a downwardly-projecting-lever-arm 38, connected by a horizontal link 39 with a lever 40. The lever 40 is pivoted to the frame at 41, and its upwardly-projecting arm-atI the side of the table carries U shaped lingers 42. These lingers diverge up- Wardly,as shown,one being preferably shorter than the other, and they are in position to be engaged by a projecting stub 43 on the swinging arm 13 of the clamp.

The pressure-plate 44 is secured to the lower end of the piston-rod of a cylinder 45, and the plate is provided With guide-rods 46, the cylinder and guide for the rods being carried by the curved support 47, extending above the table. The valve 4S for this cylinder of the presser-plate is of the double-plunger type, the plungers being actuated by tilting levers 49. The lever system 49 is connected by-arm 50 and pivoted link 5l to one arm ofthe lever 52, pivoted to the frame at 53. The other arm of this lever is provided with contactpiece 54, which is in position to be engaged by a projecting boss on the cylinder 17 when the arm 13 is swung over to double the sheet. The valve 48 is thus actuated to admit motive fluid to the presser-actuating cylinder, so that the presser is then forced downl ing the opposite clamping mechanism.

automatically. When the swinging clamp 13 has lifted the end of the pressed pack while still held by the presser-plate, the spring in the pack being sniicient for this purpose, a strong spring 56, connected to the lever 52 by link 57, returns the valve 48 to its original position, thus shifting the position of the valve and lifting the presser-plate, and the swinging clamp 13 may then ret-urn to its normal position.

The controlling-valves for the shear-cylinder, the cylinders for the clamps, and the cylinders 25 are indicated at 58, the pipe connections 59 being of the ordinary type, except that a flexible hose connection 60 leads to the movable cylinder 34.

In operating the apparatus the sheet having been placed on the table from the open side (shown at the right of Fig. 3) is drawn back against the movable stop 5 and against the side guide 4. The operator shifts the sliding clamp by handle (il and then admits the motive uid to the cylinders 17 and 34. The clamps thus grip both ends of the sheet, and while thus gripped motive iiuid is admitted to one of the cylinders 25 to rock the clamparm 13. As this clam p-arm rotates or swings over it doubles the sheet, and as it nears the end ot' its travel the stub 43 strikes one of the fingers 42, and thereby through the leverand-link connection slides the frame carry- 'lhe clamps for the ends of the sheet are thus brought into alinement at the end of the travel of the swinging clamp, and the boss 55 then actuates the valve 4S and the presserplate is forced down to press the doubled sheets. The operator then releases the clamp 34, and as the rocking clam p-arm starts to rotate the presser-plate is lifted, and this boss 55 releases the lever 52 and allows the spring 56 to shift the valve 4S, so that the presser is automatically lifted to its normal position. The `double pack is then returned by the clamp 13 to a position for shearing. The operator then admits fluid to the shear-operating cylinders, and as the movable shear-blade descends the stop 5 swings downwardly and the end of the pack is trimmed. The shearblade is then swung back.

Theadvantages of myinvention resultfrom the automatic doubling of each sheet at its center irrespective of the varyinglengths of the sheet, from the automatic pressing of the sheet when doubled, from. the use of the clamps, one of which swings to double the sheet and moves the other clamp to bring the ends ofthe sheet into alinement, and generallyfrom the compact, simple, andautomatic nature of the apparatus. I

Many changes may be made in the form and arrangement of the apparatus and its parts without departing from my invention.

1. Indoublingapparatus,aswingingclamp for one end of the sheet, a movable clamp for the other end, and mechanism for automatically alining the clamps; substantially as described.

2. In doubling apparatus, a sliding clamp, a swinging clamp, and connections actuated by the swinging clamp and arranged t0 move the sliding clamp; substantially as described.

3. In doubling apparatus, aswinging clamp for one end of the sheet, mechanism for actuating the clamp to double the sheet, a pair of shear-blades, a depressible stop, and means for depressing the stop during the movement of the shear-blade; substantially as described.

4. Indoublingapparatus,aswingingclamp, another movable clamp for the other end of the sheet, hand-operated mechanism for adjusting the movable clamp, and automatic connections arranged to adjust the movable clamp when the swinging clamp is actuated; substantially as described.

5. In doubling apparatus, a doubling mechanism, a movable presser-plate, and connections arranged to automatically actuate the presser-plate after the sheet is doubled; substantially as described.

6. In doublingapparatus, amovableclamp, a presser-plate, and actuating mechanism'conuected to the presser-plate, said mechanism being arranged to be started into action by the moving clamp; substantiallyas described.

7. In doubling appaiatus,amovable clamp, a presser-plate, a motive cylinder for the presser-plate, a valve for the motive cylinder, and a connection for the valve arranged to be operated by the movable clamp; substantially as described.

8. .In doublingapparatus, a swingingclamp having a motive cylinder, a sliding clamp having a motive cylinder, and mechanism for alining the clamps; substantially as described.

9. In doubling apparatus, aswinging clamp having a motive cylinder, mechanism for swinging said clamp, a sliding clamp having a motive cylinder, a cam device actuated by the swinging clamp, and connections between said cam device and the sliding clamp; substantially as described.

10. A doubling apparatus having a supporting table or platform, the intermediate portion of which is lower than the end portion thereof; substantially as described.

11. In doubling apparatus a supportingtable having a longitudinally-(lished 0r concave supporting portion; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my' hand.

URIE E. DENNIS.

Witnesses:

L. M. REDMAN, H. M. CoRWIN.

IIO 

